1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector for a flat type conductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
This kind of electrical connector is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai Number 7-142130.
As shown in FIG. 7(A), the connector comprises a plurality of flat type terminals 50 made by stamping a metal sheet. A plurality of slits 61 are arranged in parallel to each other in a housing 60 in a direction perpendicular to the paper for accommodating the terminals 50. The respective slits 61 communicate with each other at the upper left of the housing 60 to provide an opening 62. A pressing member 70 is rotatably provided at the opening 62.
Each terminal 70 comprises an upper arm 51 and a lower arm 52 in the housing 60 and a connection portion 53 outside the housing 60. The upper arm 51 is supported by the upper interior surface of the housing 60 and includes a rotation guide or fulcrum 54 having a substantially circular shape at the distal end thereof in the vicinity of the opening 62. The lower arm 52 is flexible and includes a contact portion 55 at the distal end thereof. The pressing member 70 is rotatable about the rotation guides 54 of the terminals 70 at a concave 72 having a shape of circular section or arc and includes a pressing portion 71 having an angle. The connector is placed at a predetermined position of a circuit board such that the connection portions 53 of the terminals 70 are connected to predetermined circuit traces by soldering.
When the pressing member is in an open position, a flat conductor, such as a flexible board F, is inserted into the connector such that a circuit portion formed on the lower face of the flexible board F is disposed on the contact portion 55 of the terminal 70. Then, as shown in FIGS. 7(B) and 7(C), the pressing member 70 is rotated toward a closed position so that the pressing portion 71 presses the flexible board F to thereby bring the circuit portion of the flexible board F into resilient-contact with the contact portion 55 for firm electrical connection between the flexible board F and the terminal 50.
In this kind of the conventional connector, the flexible board is downwardly pressed by the pressing member so that the circuit portion formed on the lower face of the flexible board is brought into resilient-contact with the contact portion of the terminal. Consequently, the flexible board is required to be inserted into the connector such that the circuit portion faces down.
However, sometimes, the layout of other components on the same circuit board makes it necessary that the flexible board be inserted into the connector such that the circuit portion faces up. The conventional connector, however, does not have sufficient design freedom to position the contact, failing to meet the requirement.